Internal-combustion engine and compressor therefor.



0. F. PERSSON.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE AND COMPRESSOR THEREFOR.

- APPLICATION FILED AUG-4,1913.

1,173,025., I Batented Feb. 22, 1916.

28 29 5 Witnesses; Inventor:

Otto P. persson, by: Hisa lttorney.

o rrE ears as rrro OTTO F. PERSSON, 0F ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE AND COMPRESSOR THEREFOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

Application filed August 4, 1913. Serial No. 782,776.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, OTTO F. PERSSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines and Compressors T herefor, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to internal combustion engines and principally to those utilizing crude oil as a fuel and operating on the high compression cycle. Such engines require for their operation an air compressor to supply high pressure air to inject the fuel and a scavenging pump to supply low pressure air to scavenge the working cylinder of burned gases. When such engines are employed to drive motor cars adapted to run on the rails of existing steam railroads, the question of space occupied by the engine and accessories becomes important. In particular it is of the utmost importance to decrease the overall length. It has been estimated in some cases that every foot of space lengthwise of the car is worth $800.00. Of course, different conditions may change this value, but in any event there is no question as to the substantial value of such space and of the desirability of reducing it.

In such an apparatus it is also necessary to have a supply of compressed air for the air brakes. At the present time it is customary to provide a separate air pump or compressor and driving motor for this pur- JOSE.

1 My invention has for its object to decrease the overall length of such engines and their accessories, and also to dispense with the separate air ump or compressor for the brakes and its motor, and to utilize some portion of one of the accessories for the purpose.

Briefly stated, in carrying out my invention I arrange the air compressor and scavenging pump on opposite sides of the engine and drive them from the main cranks. As the scavenging pump is of the double acting type and is provided with a reciproeating piston valve I so construct said valve that in addition to acting as such it forms is a view in vertical section of my improved engine and its accessories; Fig. 2 is a hori ,zontal sectional view taken 1n the plane of the main crank shaft; and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the arrangement of the pistons and cranks.

1 lndlcates the base of the engine which carries the bearings for the main crank shaft 5. This shaft is provided with cranlr 6, 7 and 8. Mounted on top of the base is a receiver 9 for scavenging air used to clean the working cylinder of the burned gases. The working cylinder 10 is mounted on top of the air receiver and is provided with a number of scavenging ports 11 at its lower end, and exhaust ports 12 at its upper end. Fuel is introduced into the combustion space 13 of the cylinder by the injector 11. The pump for supplying fuel to the injector is not shown for the reason that it does not form a part of my invention. The compressed air for introducing the fuel into the cyllnder is furnished bv a two stage air compressor to be described later. To start the engine a starting valve 15 is provided for controlling the admission of high pressure air to the working cylinder. The cvlinder is provided with an inner piston 16 and an outer piston 17, best shown in Fig. The inner piston is connected to the crank 7 bv the connecting rod 18, and the outer piston i connected to the cranks 6 and S bv the crosshead l9 and side rods 20. h

S tuated below the cylinder and supported by the base is a horizontally disposed two stage air compressor which receives compressed air from the receiver by the pipe 21. It 15 provided with a low pressure cylinder 22 and a high pressure cylinder 23, said cyllnders being provided with suitable valves contained in casings 24. The pistons for the piston of the pump which supplies compressed air for braking purposes.

For a consideration of what I believe to said cylinders are actuated by the connecting rod 25 which is attached to the crank 7 and to which is also attached the connecting rod 18 of the lower working piston. The compressor is inclosed in a casing 26 containing water for the purpose of cooling the cvlinders and valves. i

On the opposite side of the engine and in the same horizontal plane as the air compressor is a scavenging pump comprising a casing 28 carrying a cylinder or liner 29.

30 indicates the outer head of the cylinder and 31 the inner head, the latter being seated in a shoulder formed in the base 4:. The head 31 is also extended to form upper and lower guides 32 for the piston. The piston comprises a trunk 33 that moves on the guides and an enlarged portion 34 forming the piston proper. The piston is connected by the rod 35 with the cranks 6 and 8 to which are also attached the vertical side rods 20. From Fig. 2 it will be seen that this rrd is made in the form of a fork one end ofwhich is attached to the piston and its two arms to the cranks 6 and 8. This arrangement is made necessary to permit the crank 7 to rotate. 4

The scavenging pump is double acting and is provided with a port 36 leading to one end of the cylinder and a port 31' leading to the other end. Situated above the cylinder of the pump is a valve casing 38 containing a reciprocating valve 39. This valve comprises a cylindrical portion having vertically extending strengthening ribs 40 and horizontally extending strengthening ribs ll, the two being at right angles to each other. The wall of. the cylindrical portion is cut away as at 42 and 43 to provide passages for the air. The central portion of the valve body is reduced in cross section and surrounding it is a chamber 4 which communicates with the scavenging air receiver 9. As this valve has to handle relatively large volumes of air the ports and passages should be made as large as possible to facilitate its passage. Such a valve has the advantage of longer life over a plurality of small individual valves.

In order to actuate the valve an eccentric 45 is mounted on the main shaft. Surrounding this eccentric is a strap 46 having an ear on its upper side which is connected to the bell crank lever 47. This lever has -a fulcrum 48 which is supported by the base of the engine. The upper arm of the lever is connected to the valve 39 by a link 49. As shown the parts are arranged for clock-Wise rotation of the main shaft, and the scavenging pump piston is very nearly at the end of its outward stroke where it is moving very slowly. On the other hand the valve has commenced its movement to the right and, owing to the set of the eccentric with respect to the shaft, is moving at its maximum rate of speed. The valve has just closed the port 36 and is about to open the port 37 so that air can pass from the right hand end of the cylinder through the passage 37 and chamber 44 into the receiver 9. Air is admitted to the pump through a strainer 50 which prevents the introduction of foreign matter.

It is necessary for motor car seriice to have compressed air for operating the air brakes. I therefore so construct the valve 39 of the scavenging pump that it can serve as a piston in addition to performing its normal function as a valve. To this end the valve is provided witha piston head 51 and suitable packing rings In the head 53 of the valve casing is mounted a suction valve 54 and a discharge valve 55, both being of any suitable construction. The valve 55 is connected by apipe to the usual reservoir, which pipe and reservoir are not illustrated. As the valve 39 moves to and fro to control the ports of the scavenging pump, its piston head sucks in air through the valve 54 on the right hand stroke, and discharges it on the left hand stroke. This action does not interfere in any way with the action of the valve as such; it merely requires that the actuating means be somewhat stronger than would otherwise be necessary. It will be seen that my improved construction has the advantage of not increasing the length of the engine, although it somewhat increases the width, but for the purpose intended this is not objectionable. Also that it does not increase the height of the engine. By utilizing the same cranks for driving the com pressor and pump which are used to transmit motion from the pistons to the shaft I avoid the use of additional cranks which greatly increase the cost of engine shafts. The length of each crank has been slightly increased in order that two connecting rods can be connected thereto, but this of itself is an unimportant matter. By placing the air compressor on one side of the base and the scavenging pump and air pump for the brakes on the opposite side thereof, the engine as a whole will be well balanced.

I have illustrated only one working cylinder, but it is to be understood that one or a number of such cylinders may be provided.

It is also to be understood that my invention is not limited to an engine having oppositely moving pistons in the same cylinder unless so stated in the claims.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the prin-' ciple of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

\Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1.' In an engine, the combination of a working cylinder, piston means therefor. a main crank shaft, separate and horizontally disposed air compressing means located on opposite sides of the shaft and in the same plane, one of said means supplying high pressure air for injecting fuel and the other low pressure air for scavenging the cylinder, driving connections between said means and the crank shaft, a valve for one of said compressing means, the shaft for actuating the valve.

2. In an engine, the combination of a working cylinder, oppositely moving pistons therefor, a horizontally disposed air compressing means for injecting fuel into the cylinder, a horizontally. disposed air compressing means in, alinement with the first below the cylinder and on the opposite 'side of the engine for supplying air to scavenge the cylinder, a main crank shaft, one of said cranks being connected to the inner piston and to one of the compressing means, another being connected to the outer piston and to the other compressing means, and valves for said compressing means.

3. In an engine, the combination of a working cylinder, oppositely moving pistons therefor, a horizontally disposed air compressing means for injecting fuel into the cylinder, a horizontally disposed air compressing means in alinement with the first below the cylinder and on the opposite side of the engine for supplying air to scavenge the cylinder, a main crankshaft, one of said cranks being connected to the inner piston and to one of the compressing means, another being connected to the outer piston and to the other compressing means, valves for controlling the compressing means, and a driving connection between one of the valves and shaft for actuating it.

4. In an engine, the combination of a working cylinder, a piston therefor, a pair of air compressing means located on opposite sides of the engine and below the cylinder, a main shaft having three cranks, two of which are in line, a rod connecting the piston with one of the cranks, a rod connecting the same crank with one of the compressing means, and a forked rod for connecting theother compressing means with the remaining cranks.

5. In an engine, the combination of a working cylinder, a piston therefor, a pair of air compressing means located on opposite sides of the engine and below the cylinder, a main shaft having three'cranks, two of which are in line, a rod connecting the piston with one of the cranks, a rod connecting the same crank with one of the compressing means, a forked rod for connecting the other compressing means withthe remaining cranks, a valve for one of the compressing means. and a means driven by the crank shaft for actuating the valve.

6. In an engine. the combination of a base, a working cylinder supported thereby, a pair of air compressors located on opposite sides of the base and supported thereby, said compressors being located in the plane and a means driven by sides air therefrom into the receiver, and a connection between the shaft and valve for actuating it.

7. In an engine, the combination of a working cylinder, a piston therefor, a compressor, a main shaft which is connected to the piston and compressor, a reciprocating valve for the compressor which is driven by the shaft and is provided with a piston head, a ported casing and cylinder for the valve, and suction and discharge valves that communicate with the last mentioned cylinder.

8 In combination, a main piston, a cylinder therefor, a casing having ports connected to the cylinder, a second cylinder forming a continuation of the casing, a valve in the casing that controls the ports and is provided with a. piston that moves in said second cylinder, inlet and outlet valves for the second cylinder, and a driving means that is common to said valve, its piston and the main piston.

9. In combination, a main piston, a cylinder therefor, a casing having ports connected to the cylinder, a second cylinder forming a continuation of the casing, a valve in the casing that controls the ports and is provided with a piston that moves in said second cylinder, inlet and outlet valves for the second cylinder, a main crank shaft, a connecting rod between the crank and main piston, an eccentric and strap on the shaft,

and a driving connection between said strap and the combined valve and piston.

10. In an engine, the combination of a working cylinder. a piston therefor, a receiver which supplies air to the cylinder for scavenging purposes, a base that supports the cylinder and receiver, ,a crank shaft, a driving connection between the pistonand shaft, air compressors which are on opposite of the base andsupported thereby, a valve mechanism for one of the compressors that controls the passage of air therefrom to the receiver, means for actuating the valve from the shaft, a conduit for conveying air from the receiver to the inlet of the other compressor, and connecting rods that extend in opposite directions from the shaft and impart motion to the moving parts of said compressors.

11. In an engine, the combination of a working cylinder, oppositelv moving pistons therefor, a main crank shaft having a .plurality of cranks, an air compressing means for injecting fuel into the cylinder, an air compressing means for supplying air to scavenge the cylinder, said compressing means being alined with each other and arranged at right angles to the cylinder and on opposite sides of the crank shaft, and connecting rods connecting one of the air compressing means and the inner engine piston to one'of the cranks and the other air compressing means and the outer engine piston to another crank.

12. In an engine, the combination of a Working cylinder, piston means therefor, a main crank shaft, separate air compressing means located on opposite sides of the shaft and in the same plane, said means being arranged at right angles to the Working cylinder, one of said means supplying high pressure air for injecting fuel and the other low pressure airfor scavenging the cylinder, driving connections between said means and the crank shaft, a valve for one of said compressing means, and a means driven by the shaft for actuating the valve.

13. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a crank shaft, a compressor cylinder, a piston therein connected to'the crank shaft, a valve casing adjacent the cylinder having ports connected therewith, a reciprocating valve therein which is operated from said crank shaft and controls the ports, a second compressor cylinder, a piston carried by the reciprocating valve Which moves in said last named cylinder, and suction and discharge valves therefor.

14. The combination of a plurality of pistons and cylinders forming compressors and operated from a common crank shaft, a reciprocating valve for one of said compressors Which is also operated from the crank shaft, a piston on the end of said valve, a cylinder in which it reciprocates, and suction and discharge valves in the last named cylinder.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of August, 1913.

OTTO F. PERSSON.

Witnesses:

B. H. ARNOLD, R. M. DILWORTH. 

